A/N: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter as well as everyone that added this story to their favourites and follows. I would like to state from now that Revelations won't have the I-Island Arc but will contain Camp Training Arc alongside the Exam Arc.
October 10th was a terrible day if anyone asked Naruto. It was not just because the villagers looked at her with even colder eyes or the fact that the Kyuubi killed her parents. But at the age of seven, Naruto hoped this birthday would be different. It was supposed to be different because she was going to spend her birthday with Sasuke and his family.
They were supposed to play all the games she wanted to play but that didn't exactly happen. For one, Sasuke refused to let her play hide and seek in his compound, saying that she was going to get into trouble if she played the game. If you asked her, Naruto believed Sasuke just didn't want to lose to her.
But I'm going to get him to play that game even if I have to go to Mikoto-obaachan. Naruto curled her lips into a bright smile as she walked through the corridor that would lead to Mikoto's room. If anyone could get that meanie to listen to her birthday wish then it had to be Mikoto.
Mikoto-obaachan always know how to make Sasuke listen.
"Y-You would have been proud to see how much she has grown." Naruto knitted her eyebrows and tilted her head as loud sobs came from behind one of the doors. For a brief moment, she just stood there. What did she do? Not once in her life had she ever heard someone cry so loudly. Not just anyone either.
She knew from the voice that it was Mikoto-obaachan.
I should cheer her up, right? She always listens to me and cheer me up when the Meanie is acting mean to me. Naruto bobbed her head and walked closer to the door. Taking in a deep breath, the little girl slid the door open and allowed herself to take in the cool autumn breeze that tickled her cheeks.
Naruto exhaled and began to tiptoe into the room, avoiding anything that would allow Mikoto to know she was inside her bedroom. Her blue eyes scanned the room. There weren't many photos in the bedroom except for some family photos and wedding photos. But other than that, the room was pretty much bare.
Not that she was surprised, Naruto doubt Fugaku allowed Mikoto-obaachan to decorate the room as she liked.
"Mikoto-obaachan! Are you okay?" Naruto guessed this was the best question to ask Mikoto-obaachan, but judging from the way the older woman turned around and scambled to slid a frame under the bed…she guessed it wasn't the right question. What should I have asked instead? She was kind of new to the whole comforting thing but she could try for the older woman.
Mikoto-obaachan always listened to her complain so she had to do the same for Mikoto-obaachan.
"Everything is okay, Naru-chan! I'm just crying because today is your birthday and I'm just so happy for you!" Fake cheerfulness coated the woman's voice as Mikoto offered her a large smile. Naruto could only stare with a frown. Why was she lying to her? If the woman was so happy about her birthday then why did her eyes screamed of pain and loss? She wasn't happy.
No one was really ever happy on her birthday.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Naruto took a seat right beside Mikoto. "Mikoto-obaachan, can't you tell me the truth? I'm not stupid. Your eyes doesn't say you are happy about my birthday."
Unlike most of the adults in her life, she didn't have a problem with allowing her mask to drop with the kind woman, who always treated her with a warmth that Naruto could only guess a mother could give.
Mikoto-obaachan stared at her for a long time, dark eyes flashing with conflict as if whether to tell her the truth or not. That wasn't the only thing Naruto could see from her eyes. The hunched shoulders alongside the trembling lips told her that the pretty woman was in pain. Maybe I should have acted dumb for this one time. She hunched her shoulders.
"Today is also the day that my teammate and best friend died," Mikoto looked straight at the wall before flickering her eyes at her. Those black eyes focused on her blue eyes but Naruto didn't really feel like Mikoto-obaachan was really seeing her. With the way her eyes seemed a little bit dull out, she guess the old woman was seeing something else. "I loved my teammate, Naru-chan."
"Love?" Naruto tilted her head and knitted her eyebrows together. Love. She knew what that word meant. It was a word Mikoto-obaachan used with her, Sasuke and Itachi but there was something in Mikoto's tone that made it seem like the word now was different. Maybe it was a different word now.
She doesn't really understand what love meant.
"When I was around your age, my teammate transferred into the Academy and I fell in love with him at first sight." Mikoto let out a sigh and placed her hand on top of Naruto's head. "I used to watch him whenever I had the chance, even though I knew nothing could come out between us. My marriage to Fugaku had already been arranged but I always toyed with the idea of breaking tradition and marry him."
Naruto nodded her head and forced herself to smile. She didn't really understand what Mikoto-obaachan was telling her but if it helped the woman then she could pretend to understand. Maybe if she just smiled and listened then the woman would stop crying and be happy. She liked it when Mikoto-obaachan smiled and laughed.
Whenever Mikoto-obaachan did those things, the coldness in her body always seemed to fade away and Naruto wanted that coldness to go away.
"But why didn't you marry him?" Naruto asked, scratching her head.
Mikoto dropped her hand from Naruto's head and looked down at her with such sad eyes. I guess I shouldn't have ask that question. She bowed her head and dropped her shoulders. Maybe Hinata-chan should be here instead. Her friend always knew what to say to cheer people up while all she knew was to hurt them.
"He fell in love with my best friend." Mikoto whispered and Naruto swirled her head. Didn't her best-friend know about her feelings? The question was on the tip of her tongue but the smile on Mikoto's face made her falter. Why was she smiling? If it was her, she would be cursing and swearing at the so-called friend that fell in love with her crush.
Actually Naruto wanted to swear at the man that let Mikoto-obaachan go.
He must have been stupid.
"Didn't you tell your best friend that you were in love with him?" Naruto frowned. "And did you ever tell him you liked him? He might have chosen you if you told him about your feelings! You must have been way prettier than your best-friend! No one is more prettier than you, Mikoto-obaachan!"
Mikoto-obaachan let out a little laugh and Naruto blinked when the older woman flicked her finger against her forehead. What is so funny? The blond-haired girl rubbed her forehead as a small scowl began to form around her lips. Her shoulders bristled and the blonde jerked her head at the older woman, only to pause at the bright smile playing on Sasuke's mother face.
"My best friend was pretty," Mikoto smiled and her eyes lingered on Naruto's whisker marks. "She was also very kind. When all the other girls in my year thought I was stuck-up, my best friend would defend me. I knew if my teammate loved me back, my best friend would have back-off for my sake but I'm not selfish enough to do that to them. Besides, there was some good that came out of their love."
The little girl frowned. "What good came out of their love? Their love hurt you!"
"I will answer that question when you are older, Naru-chan!"
That day never came and seeing the way Mikoto-obaachan cry her heart out for the loss of her teammate and best-friend put things into perspective for Naruto. She doesn't understand the love between two people and how it could hurt someone. She doesn't want to fully understand it, not if someone was going to get hurt in the end.
So when Eri ask her why she never been in love, Naruto tells her only one part of the truth.
She will never admit that the idea of love also terrified her because of how it could hurt someone.
"Naru-chan!"
Naruto blinked and jerked her head as a pair of hands wrapped around her body. With the girlish scream of her name alongside the familiar scent of strawberry perfume, the blonde didn't need to turn around to know who tackled her. Only one person in Japan called her by that name.
"Hadou-senpai, you don't need to scream out my name."
Nejire loosened her hold over her, allowing the blond-haired girl to inhale a couple of breaths. Naruto didn't need to turn around to know what expression Nejire had. She knew from the lack of answer that Nejire was probably pouting at her use of Hadou-senpai. She always wants me to call her, Nejire-chan. Naruto sighed.
"I will probably stop doing that if you call me, Nejire-chan!" Nejire pouted. Naruto curled her lips into a smile and turned her whole body around to look at the older girl. The blue-haired girl puffed her cheeks and had her arms folded over her chest as several people stopped to glance at them.
Naruto just gestured for them to move along before looking back at the pouting girl. "Okay, Nejire."
"One of these days, I will get you to call me Nejire-chan again!" Nejire declared, waving a single finger at her. If her friend was trying to make herself look scary then the puffing of her cheeks alongside the twitching lips failed to make her shudder. It only made her want to laugh and shake her head at her.
Bobbing her head, Naruto looked to the bright green leaves of the tree. "Whatever you say, Nejire."
Nejire curled her lips into a pout and the blond-haired girl offered her a bright smile before looking back at the bright green leaves of the tree. Despite the lushness of the leaves, it did not have the same greenness of the leaves in Konoha. Just a little bit duller if you asked her. But the flowers surrounding the trees had colours that were so much brighter than the ones in her home.
If she wasn't still exiled, Naruto would probably snatch one of the flowers and bring it to Konoha, where she could lay it on top of Mikoto-obaachan's grave.
"You seem distracted lately, Naru-chan." Nejire commented, leaning closer to her. "Did something happen lately?"
Naruto paused and stared at blue eyes that shone with so much concern. It would be another couple of weeks before the anniversary of the Uchiha Massacre. But unlike Middle School, she couldn't make clones and skip out of class to mourn over the death of the woman who showed her warmth. This time around, she would be in camp with her classmates.
But she couldn't tell Nejire this.
"Nothing happened." She answered, clasping her hands together and looking away from the trees. Naruto offered a small smile to Nejire, only to have the older girl frown at her. She waited for the girl to call her out for her blatant lie, but Nejire only offered her a sad smile as if knowing she wasn't ready to talk about her problems.
Knowing Nejire, the girl must have known that she still wasn't ready to talk about her problems to her.
"Y'know when I'm upset about something, I will go to the mall and shop for some cute clothes!" Nejire declared with a larger smile playing on her lips. Blue eyes twinkled with mischief and Naruto felt the ramen inside of her stomach roll over at her cheerful words. "Since you are upset about something, I'm going to take you out today to do some shopping!"
Naruto rubbed the back of her neck, looking away from the twinkling stars that were Nejire's eyes. Was this her price for lying to Nejire-chan? To go into the warzone that was the mall?
"I'm not free today." Naruto admitted, looking back at Nejire. The blue-haired girl blinked and pouted, looking almost ready to wail at her words but she doubt the girl would do that. The older girl might act adorable and childish at times but she wasn't that type of person. "You should have told me earlier! You don't invite someone in the last minute, Nejire!"
"Why not?" Nejire tilted her head. "This is probably the last month before the exam season will start and when the exams come closer, you will have no time for poor little Nejire-chan!"
Naruto spluttered as several students stopped in their tracks, swirling their heads around to look at them. Judgment and amusement shone through their eyes and smiles decorated their lips. It wasn't long before giggles echoed throughout the air, only making the blonde flush a bright shade of red at the attention being thrown at their direction. I'm going to die from embarrassment. She covered her face with her hands.
"Can you please not act this way, Nejire?" She grumbled, throwing a glare at the staring students before swirling her head at her senior. "And anyways you should have warned me because I've plans for tonight."
Nejire blinked and tilted her head. Silence hung over them as blue eyes searched her as if trying to see whether or not she was lying about her plans. Naruto bristled. Why would she lie about her plans? She promised Nejire to learn how to love herself and lying wasn't going to help her at all. She offered a scowl, only to blink at the teasing glint in Nejire's eyes.
Dread crept up into Naruto's stomach.
"Really now?" Nejire giggled. "And who are you hanging out with, Naru-chan? Are you and Todoroki-san going out to a restaurant?"
Naruto flushed a bright shade of red, earning a louder laugh from Nejire. This only made the younger girl scowl. What was so funny? Anyone would be embarrassed by the question especially with that knowing glint that still clung to her eyes. She acts like she knows my relationship with Shouto. She bristled.
"What makes you think I'm going out with Shouto?" She folded her arms against her chest and looked away from Nejire's knowing eyes. She growled. "Why are you giving me that look Nejire? There is nothing going on between Shouto and me! We aren't joined to the hip!"
Nejire hummed, not looking one bit convinced by her words, and Naruto glowered. Why did Nejire-chan not look one bit convince by her words? She might have kiss Shouto, even liked it but it didn't mean there was something brewing between them. They still acted like ordinary friends. Nothing changed between them but Nejire kept looking at them like they were characters from her favorite novel.
"I know you have other friends," The older girl patted Naruto's head and giggled. "But I know for a fact Itsuka-chan and Setsuna-chan are busy with their clubs, so the only friend left is Todoroki." Blue eyes glinted with mischief. "Now what is this about there being something between you two?"
I walked right into that trap, didn't I?
Flushing a bright shade of red, Naruto shook her head. "There is nothing going on between us!"
"Really now?" Surprise coated Nejire's voice and Naruto frowned. Those words alongside the burning curiosity in her friend's eyes were like bombs to her heart. Why was she so surprised? Shouto and her were only good friends. If anyone could understand the possibility that a girl and a boy could be friends then it would be Nejire-chan.
She was friends with Mirio after all.
"Yes, really."
"Poor Shouto." Nejire muttered, shaking her head.
Naruto frowned. "What do you mean poor Shouto?"
Nejire pressed her lips into a thin line but made no comment, only shaking her head and letting out a little girl. If it had been anyone else giggling, it would have felt mocking like they knew something that they did not. But the way Nejire giggled alongside the sadness in her eyes made the giggles more soft-hearted, like the laugh of a sad child. It was still irritating if you asked Naruto but not like before.
"I just realize Shouto had something in common with Tamaki," Nejire explained with a smile playing on her lips.
Something in common? Naruto knitted her eyebrows into one thin line. Was there something she was missing? Was this some kind of riddle? Either way she would never know unless Nejire just spat the words out to her. But I doubt she will do it. From the way those eyes glinted, she doubt the girl was going to give her an answer right away.
"Well if you aren't free now then we will just go shopping tomorrow, Naru-chan!" Nejire declared and Naruto jerked her head. She opened her mouth to protest, only for the blue-haired girl to put her fingers on either side of her head. "I'm not going to listen to any excuses! We are going shopping tomorrow!"
Naruto slumped her shoulders.
It didn't seem like Nejire-chan was going to listen to her today.
At least I'll have some peace at home.
Ero-Sennin is back.
Those large black shoes scattered on the hallway, laying carelessly on the ground could only belong to Jiraiya. With her smaller feet and the fact she preferred to wear sneakers in this part of the world, Naruto knew without a doubt that those large black sandles could only belong to her teacher. Beside, she kept her shoes lined up in a line while Ero-Sennin always left his shoes lying around.
Naruto shook her head and stared at the hallway, shoulders trembling as the news report blared up from the living room. Should she smile? Or should she scowl and be angry for Ero-Sennin leaving her alone like this? She wasn't certain. How do people react when a roommate came back? She curled her lips into a frown.
It didn't matter when she thought about it.
Taking in a deep breath, Naruto placed her school bag in the corner of the hallway and exhaled. The trembles in her shoulder stopped and the young girl straightened her back. With another quick inhale, she strolled into the living room with her heart pounding against her ribs like it was ready to burst out of her chest.
The living room was a mess with her precious cup ramen noodle cups scattered around the coffee table. Various newspapers from the last couple of weeks spread around the floor. And the culprit? He was sitting on the couch, pen in hand and eyebrows knitted together like he was deep in thought. If he has time to focus on the news, clean the damn mess! She growled and Jiraiya looked away from the television screen.
No smile decorated his face and Naruto felt a coldness creeping up her shoulders with the way her mentor stared at her with blank eyes. She hunched her shoulders, almost feeling like the same little girl that would hide from the Matron whenever she was in one of her bad moods. There was only one time Jiraiya looked like this and that had been with Tsunade.
Dear god, what did she do?
"Hibiki informed me about Kumo approaching you with the offer of abandoning Konoha and taking up with their village," Naruto froze and Jiraiya leaned his body forward. Black eyes fixated on her. "But what really tickled my interest was you telling your friends of what we do for a living."
The coldness in his voice alongside the blankness of his black eyes made it feel like he had thrown a bucket of cold water over her. She couldn't straighten her shoulders, only tremble at the anger. She balled her hands into a fist. Was he going to punish her for her actions? Didn't Hibiki tell him she had no choice? And it wasn't like she agreed to go to Kumo? She was still loyal to the village.
The village that shun her for something she couldn't control.
"Those Kumo nin were being reckless when they approached you," Jiraiya commented and Naruto blinked. The black eyes of her teacher shone with anger but not the same kind of anger she used to associate with the Matron. "But you should have been careful when they approached you. You know people can overhear things so why didn't you tell them to go somewhere more private?"
The accusation in his tone acted like kunai to her heart. How was she suppose to tell them? That bastard threatened to make a scene if she didn't follow him. If anyone should be scolded for the reckless behaviour, it should be those nin. Her heart throbbed as Jiraiya continued to stare at her with his feet tapping the ground like a timer.
"He threatened to make a scene out there if I didn't follow him."
Jiraiya paused and stopped tapping his feet, relaxing his arms against the sides of his chest. He looked at her for a good ten seconds before letting out a little sigh. He pushed himself off of the couch, making his way over to where she stood right beside the kitchen counter and stared down at her.
"I can understand to that point but why did you decide to tell them the truth?" Jiraiya put his hands on her shoulder and narrowed his eyes at her. "Naruto, what you told them can be considered reckless and dangerous for Konoha. How can we be certain those three boys aren't going to tell anyone the truth about what we are? Of what you are?"
Naruto hunched her shoulders and looked away from his black eyes. How could she be certain? She thought Bakugou and Midoriya would accept her after knowing the truth but they still treat her like a stranger. But what else could she have done? Kill them? Her heart would withered away the moment she tried to kill the people who became the closest thing to her friends in this part of the world.
"Naruto?"
"No one will believe them." Naruto said, straightening her back. She inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm down the remaining tremors that were making their way through her body. "They will call them crazy anyway if they don't have proof."
Jiraiya pinched his nose. "And what if someone believe them? What happens then? It is bad enough we have to worry about Orochimaru and the Akatsuki but if Japan and the other countries find out…"
We won't survive an attack from three forces.
The words weren't said but Naruto could connect the dots. She closed her eyes, hunched her shoulders, and dared not to look at her mentor's eyes. The disappointment that kept rolling out of his words was enough for her to bow her head and not listen to what he had to say next. If anything happen to Konoha, it would be her fault.
He didn't need to tell her this.
"I'm going to keep an eye on Midoriya and Todoroki, Naruto." Jiraiya said and Naruto swirled her head. She raised an eyebrow and the white-haired man rubbed his chin. He grimaced. "Hibiki already offered to watch Bakugou and kill him if he mentioned what he learnt about you to anyone."
Naruto narrowed her eyes. "And will you kill Midoriya and Shouto if they mention what I am?"
"You know the laws, Naruto."
Coldness crept up to her fingers, nipping her in the bone as black eyes stared blankly at her. He will kill them if it means Konoha will be protected. The knowledge numbed her, almost made her stumble in her spot but Naruto steadied herself. This should not be a surprise to her. Ero-Sennin threatened to kill Tsunade if she betrayed the village and he loved her.
It was only natural he would react like this.
"So where have you been, Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked, plastering on a large smile. Jiraiya eyed her but made no comment about her change of topic. He only dusted the dirt off of her shirt before walking back to the couch. He slouched against the seat and laid his feet on top of her coffee table.
Jiraiya sighed. "It's classified information, Naruto."
Those words echoed inside of her ears as Naruto stared at him. She pressed her lips together, wiggled her fingers as black eyes avoided looking at her. He might not be able to tell her where he had been but Naruto knew who that classified information was on. She closed her eyes as a young Sasuke flashed before her eyes.
"You were looking for information on Orochimaru, weren't you?" She whispered. "Did you find anything out?"
Jiraiya grimaced. "I found out a lot of things about my former teammate. If my source is correct Naruto, Orochimaru might be working with one of these so-called villains. I already informed Tsunade about this and we will have Jounins coming here to vertify the information but—"
That wasn't important to her.
"What about Sasuke?"
Has Orochimaru changed his mind and decided to take over Sasuke's body now?
"He is still alive."
That was good enough for her to go through babysitting Eri-chan with a smile on her face.
"Naruto-neechan, what does love mean?"
Naruto blinked and jerked her head away from the cat puzzle to look at Eri. A small frown decorated the white-haired girl's face as her red eyes flashed with curiosity, looking like a curious little kitten with her tilted head. If it weren't for the sudden question, the blonde would have taken out her phone and snap a photo.
Frowning, Naruto asked. "What do you mean?"
Eri chewed on her bottom lip, pushing it back and forth as her red eyes focused on the puzzle. The white-haired girl reached across to the nearly completed puzzle, dropping it on the missing piece before looking back at her. Red eyes flashed with even more uncertainity and Naruto offered her a smile, hoping it would be enough to encourage her to explain the sudden question.
"People say I love you a lot but I don't really understand what it means." Eri admitted, dropping her head. "I don't really understand what you mean when you say you love me."
That I can explain. Naruto curled her lips into a smile and laid her hand on top of Eri's hair. She combed through the tangles of the girl's hair, humming a small tune as her mind tried to explain what her words meant. Only her hums echoed throughout the living room as Eri looked at her with bright, curious eyes.
"When I tell you that I love you, it means I will go through hell and back for you." Naruto finally answered, flicking her finger against Eri's forehead. The little girl let out a little giggle and rubbed her forehead, beaming at her words. For a brief moment, she saw her younger self watching Itachi and Sasuke playing together and Naruto shook her head.
Her relationship with Eri was so different from their relationship.
I will protect Eri with my life.
"Then what does it mean when someone says that they are in love with someone?" Eri asked, red eyes growing large and hopeful and Naruto paused. How did she go about answering that question? This wasn't her area of expertise. Nejire-chan would have been a better person to ask, not her. Her friend was in love with Tamaki and Naruto could recognize it but she didn't understand it.
She could only knit her eyebrows whenever someone talked about being in love with someone.
Shaking her head, Naruto grinned. "It just means that they love someone, I guess."
Eri nodded and the blonde relaxed her shoulders. From the way Eri was looking back at the television, Naruto guessed the girl wanted to watch some television. That was fine with her. As long as the little girl stopped asking all of those embarrassing questions, she would be willing to let Eri watch whatever movie she wanted. Even if Aizawa-sensei ordered her not to let Eri-chan watch anymore singing cartoon movies.
"Then what is the difference between the love of friends and the love between two married people?" Eri asked, knitting her eyebrows together.
Naruto slumped her shoulders and pulled the little girl towards her. Eri giggled, dropping down to the ground right in front of Naruto, and the blonde hugged the little girl. Pressing her nose against the girl's head, Naruto inhaled and exhaled as her mind tried to understand why Eri was beginning to ask those question. A few weeks ago, Eri hadn't been this curious about the topic.
"Eri-chan, why do you want to know so badly?" Naruto asked, tickling the little girl's stomach. "Did something happen? Did some little brat confess their love to you?"
Eri giggled. "Of course not! But I just wanna to know what love is, Naruto-neechan!"
"I don't know." Naruto finally answered, closing her eyes. When I was around your age, I fell in love with my teammate at first sight. Mournful black eyes flashed before her eyes and Naruto hunched her shoulders. When Mikoto-obaachan told her those words, she didn't understand it. It had been understandable at seven but even now at fifteen, Naruto still didn't understand those words.
How could Mikoto-obaachan fall in love at first sight?
"Naruto-neechan, why don't you know?"
He fell in love with my best friend. Even now, Naruto could still see the sadness in those black eyes alongside the hurt in her voice. In the year and half she knew of Mikoto-obaachan, not once had she ever seen the woman look so broken and sad. No. That wasn't true. Mikoto had been so sad when they first met but she still smiled.
She didn't want that crippling sadness for herself.
"Because I've never been in love before." Naruto answered, ruffling Eri's hair.
Eri bobbed her head, curled her lips into a frown and then tilted her head to the side like she was in deep thought. Letting out a little laugh, Naruto allowed her hands to wander into her pants pocket, ready to take a photo of the scene. With the way the little girl acted, Naruto was almost reminded of Aizawa-sensei and his mannerism.
She really did look like Aizawa in that moment.
"Why haven't you fallen in love?" Eri asked, bouncing in her spot. "Naruto-neechan, you are so pretty that you must have so many men declaring that they love you! Why haven't you fallen in love with someone?"
Naruto chuckled and tapped her fingers against Eri's forehead. The little girl pouted, rubbing her forehead and Naruto offered her a bright smile. Whenever Eri-chan talked like that, she would almost believe in her words. Maybe to Eri-chan, she was the most prettiest girl in the world because she saved her from that terrible place but looks weren't a factor when it came to love.
But she couldn't tell that to Eri.
"Y'know your Naruto-neechan can face gangsters, samurais and even aliens with a smile but give me a man that loves me and I am going to be scared." Naruto declared, ruffling her hair.
Eri stared at her with wide eyes and Naruto closed her eyes.
Love was terrifying because it could even make someone like Mikoto-obaachan cry like a little baby. The love between friends were pure and could never bring that much suffering, but the love between two people could cripple someone. Love can cause suffering. Naruto grimaced.
She didn't want to suffer through that kind of love.
A/N: I just want to thank everyone who read the chapter. Please let me know of your thoughts about this chapter and if you have any suggestions of how to improve the plot or any questions about the story.